Steelhead Update 2/5

[Garrett S]

The past week and a half presented some very good opportunities to get out and hunt for Winter Steelhead. We chased conditions from Northern CA to Southern OR and ran into plenty of fish. The rivers will be blown out for a few days with these current rains.. Depending on what the next batch of storms does, there should be some windows on the horizon to get back on it. Checkout more images from the past week here. https://www.flickr.com/photos/acflyfishing/

The American River here in town has also been fishing well. We are experiencing a solid return of fish this year, and the fishing lately has been reflecting that. Psycho princes, Caddis Pupah, and of course, eggs, have all been producing. Expect fishing to remain solid until the end of the month.

Also, here is a great little article that one of our good friends and clients wrote for his Fly Club after his trip with us this past week:

The idea of heading out in the dead of winter to go trout fishing is not always top of mind for even
the most ardent of fly fishing enthusiasts. Stories are legendary about long, fishless days under
cold, windy and rainy conditions. On top of that there are special rods, reels and flies needed to
pursue the top of the trout food chain. Well I’m here to tell you that that “just ain’t necessarily so”.
If you have not tried your hand at winter steelhead fishing I’m here to encourage a closer look at a
great way to get involved with an aspect of trout fishing that will definitely get your heart pumping
and your interest elevated.

We recently met up with Anthony Carruesco and his team from AC Fly Fishing [DVFF speaker in
April 2019] for a few January days on the Eel River in Northern California, just a four-hour drive
from the Bay Area. While we were prepared for rainy weather, we were pleasantly surprised with
warm sunny days and shirt sleeve fishing on one of the North state’s few untamed rivers. In fact,
these rivers don’t fish well when the weather is rainy because of the high silt loads they carry in the
post storm flows; so your chances of fishing on good days can easily outnumber the tough days at
this time of year.

Another one of my reservations about signing up for a Steelhead trip was my concern about not
being ready for or having the time to learn how to spey cast. Once again. I was surprised to find
that all I really needed to do was to show up. The guides had high quality, almost new equipment
and all the flies and terminal equipment I would need for a compelling day on the water.
This river experience is very much like a trip down the Lower Sacramento River. We fished from a
drift boat using 7-8 weight rods and indicators. The casting was not complex and the guides kept
our flies positioned in the most likely seams as we progressed through some of the most beautiful
country in California.

Like other types of Steelhead fishing, one covers a lot of water in search of these river kings. It
would not be wrong to say that you work consistently to manage the fly and lines, but it is nothing
even a beginner couldn’t get comfortable with in the first mile. The rewards are evident, these two
went ten and twelve pounds and both over thirty inches.

The prime months are usually January and February and the prime days will vary with weather and
river conditions. It is best to line up a guide several months in advance and be prepared to change
dates and venues as there are no guarantees in this process of being at the right river when the
fish are on the move.